PKMN Past & Present
by Osvex246
Summary: The Pokémon World is not my home. I can hardly remember the last moments before being transported out to this new mystical reality. The first weeks at school were tough, but I managed to overcome the harsh events that happened on the way and learned about the culture of this region, especially, about Pokémon battles.
1. Prologue

When we entered the forest, I knew something bad would happen. A quarter mile on our way in, our Dodrio began to act strangely. They were starting to shriek and going crazy. Then, 4 teens stepped out of the forest area into the dirt path behind us. "May I see your approved licenses?", asked the teen with the blue beanie mockingly with a fake deep voice. All were wearing the same style of clothing, white sweaters, blue cold weather pants, and brown boots. My stepbrother Gerry answered back at him.

"Your mom has it, when I visit her tonight I will get it back," he said. Obviously he was being contemptuous to the bullies, but that made things worse. Gerry's response made them upset.

"You crossed the line, I hope you are insured!", said the teen with the blue beanie. He then patted the other ginger boy to his left. The ginger boy takes out a whistle. He pressed his lips hard on the mouth piece, and the sound made by the whistle begin to make our Dodrio go berserk once more. The boy with the blue beanie then sends out a Mimikyu from a capsule, and commands an attack on us.

"Use fog!", he yelled at the small creepy looking creature that appeared to be wearing a rug on top, hiding its true appearance.

Neither of my stepbrothers or I reacted on time. We watched in shock as the dark fog was reaching us.

Once trapped, I could not see anything. I could not hear anything. Panicked, I ran straight without knowing where I was heading. Moments later, I founded myself lost inside the forest. I had no idea where my stepbrothers were. There was just pure silence. Next, I turn my head to my right, and spot a small pond, and a Popplio that was licking the water. It seemed very injured, with a few cuts in its belly and face.

Seconds later, I began hearing a lot of strange screaming noises nearby. I was turning my head all around trying to figure out where those noises where coming from. I knew they were close, and started to freak out.

Suddenly, a tree began to collapse. I managed to see it on time and jumped out of the way. After the fallen tree, was standing a large Ursaring, roaring at me. I was in shock, staring back at the large Pokémon, who appeared to be completely angry. Other wild creatures then began to show up behind the Ursaring, and they were all ready to attack. I was able to recover from the shock state I was in to run for my life.

I grabbed the Popplio on the ground and sprinted out of there as fast as I could. On the distance, I could see a light, and thought it was the exit, but, once out, I ended up on a cliff. I somehow outran the wild Pokémon enough to buy time to think of my next move. I could still hear them coming after me.

I did not know what to do. I turn and see the wild creatures now just feet away from reaching me. I was left with no choice, but to jump down to the water. I hit my head with a rock that was underneath, and fall unconscious.


	2. A New World

The first day of school had arrived, but my registration was not complete. I still had to take a test that would determine my eligibility to be in the 9th grade. I did not want to wake up, but had no other choice. Pete knocks on my door, minutes after my alarm rung.

"Get up Steven! It's the first day of school!", he yelled from outside the door of my room.

"Ugh", I moaned, but I was able to force myself to get up from bed.

I put on the third color choice, a black sweater, khaki slacks, a beanie, and a scarf around. It had stopped snowing in the Neder Estate a couple of days ago, but the cold weather was still around. Once changed, I step out to the kitchen. There I see my stepbrothers, Gerry, Pete, and Felix, ready in their school uniforms too. Gerry, being the most confident of all four, with a dark sense of humor and a sarcastic attitude, was the most enthusiastic about the first day of school. Pete and Felix not so much. Both were scrawny looking, a bit shorter than me. Pete would serve as the voice of reason, while Felix had the brains. I was the neutral one. I wasn't shy, but I was not outgoing too. I was smart, but athletic. I was gifted with superhuman strength. It might be something I carried over from my previous world, and I was glad that I did, or else, I wouldn't have survived here in my first weeks.

I should point this out, I am not from here. The Pokémon World is not my native home. I do not know where I come from. I can hardly picture the last moments before being transported out to this reality. Man, my guardian, and the Old Man, my grandfather figure, had rescued me at their beach, crossing the wild forest from home. They saw me appearing after a portal from the sky. I was taken to Man's cabin, in his beach. When I woke up, I was confused, and a bit frightened. I stepped outside in the cold weather, and moments later, I collapsed. Man then took me to his house. That same day, I woke up a couple of hours later. When I got up, I was reaching to the exit, only to be stopped by Gerry, who apparently was eager to see me. "Hey, you are finally awake," those words of his were the first ones I heard in my new home.

We were now leaving the house. We each hopped on our bikes, ready to take off to The Hague Academy, about 45 minutes north of where we were. We pass through our mid checkpoint, the circular intersection for bicycles. From there we would know that we were halfway there. Once at school, we make a stop across the school area. The front area of the school was crowded with thousands of students and dozens of school buses dropping off kids. I felt overwhelmed, and nervous. I wanted to go back home, but, I knew I had to confront my fears, attend school, and take the test. We park our bikes on the left side of the school, in the bike parking lot. We get off and lock them to the bike racks. I tell Gerry I need to take the test, and that I needed to be guided to the main office.

"Sure thing," he says. "Classes don't begin until 9:15." It was 8:30 o'clock in the morning, so, there was still enough time for them to accompany me to the main office.

Once there, I get the attention of a receptionist, a fat old lady. She was an obese fat Caucasian woman with wrinkles on her face, white short hair, and vision glasses, with a large turquoise sweater.

"Can I help you?", the fat lady asks with a deep unfriendly voice.

Immediately I perceived she would not be friendly nor helpful, so I hesitated to talk to her.

"Me and my guardian came here last Wednesday," I said. "I got enrolled and there's a test I must take."

"A test?", the old lady asked baffled and annoyed. "We don't hand over tests. We hand over your schedules. Is that what you want? Yes?"

"No," I responded assertively.

Gerry stepped up and intervened. "He's new. He is my stepbrother and my guardian enrolled him last week but I suppose the neurons you had from that day are gone."

"You don't talk to me like that you thing!", the old lady yelled at Gerry.

"Can we just have someone else because you are clearly not helping!", I responded assertively.

"Don't call me a thing," Gerry said raising his voice. "I have been here longer than you!"

The loud back and forth yelling caught the attention of a male receptionist. "Hey Hey! What's going on here?", the receptionist guy who appears to be in his early 30s asked.

"My stepbrother is new to this school and there's a test he must take before getting his schedule," Gerry said.

"Ok, what's your name?", the male receptionists asked me.

"Steven," I responded.

We explained to him the whole situation. Mike, the male receptionist dismisses my stepbrothers and I am taken to the principal's office, located on the second floor of that same building.

Once there, Mike tells Ms. Dekker, the lady receptionist on the front desk, who is also the assistant of the principal, that I needed to see the principal. He tells her my name and, Ms. Dekker tells me to go and see the principal in his office, located behind the front desk. The principal was already expecting me, so I did not have to explain everything to anyone.

Ms. Dekker opens the door and lets the principal know of me.

I go inside the office, a warm ordinary room with a brown theme, with a red carpet on the floor, a large bookshelf behind the principal's desk, and the desk of the principal.

"Welcome, young man, you must be Steven Smit," Dr. Blind said. His attitude was welcoming, and somewhat friendly, unlike the fat grumpy receptionist.

"Yes, that's me," I said, confirming the obvious.

I sit down on the chair, feeling a little nervous of what I could be asked. I thought, why didn't Man come instead?

Despite attempting to explain my long absence from school, since kindergarten, the principal still went on to have me take the test. I was not going to tell him the truth and say that I came from another world, because, that would seem more like a lie, and less of a reason.

Dr. Blind called his assistant to take me to a classroom for my test. Ms. Dekker takes me to an empty classroom in that same floor. I sit in the middle seat, and Ms. Dekker comes over and puts the test upside down on my desk. She then tells me that when I done, to go to the teacher's front desk and press the red button on the device she has set up.

I was given an hour to complete the exam. It takes me no more than 20 minutes to finish. I personally did not feel the test was too complicated. Ms. Dekker comes over and takes me back to the principal's office. I wait in the row of chairs, until she comes back with the results. She goes inside and hands it over to Dr. Blind. I get called in to speak with the principal.

"Boy!", he yelled in disbelief. "You passed the test! You almost got a perfect score!"

At first I was a little nervous, but I knew that I had studied hard and that I would most likely pass the test. I felt relieved when my found out my efforts had paid off.

Dr. Blind calls again his assistant, who must be very tired of going back in and out at this point. She takes me downstairs to the advisor's office, where I will be meeting my advisor to get my schedule.

I wait in the row of chairs, until my advisor, Ms. Mertens, comes and greets me. She was an old lady in her 60s, about my height, wearing a red formal blazer, with short blonde hair.

"Hi!", the advisor says with an enthusiastic voice. "I am your advisor. You can refer to me as Ms. Martens. Nice to meet you."

She takes me to her office, where she hands me over my schedule.

"Here's your schedule," the advisor says as she extends her arm to hand it over to me.

"You are already past your first class. Physical Education is where you should be heading right now."

"I didn't bring gym clothes with me," I tell her.

"They don't actually tell you to bring any gym clothes on your first week. You can buy them at any store outside the school. It's much cheaper," the advisor affirms. "Well, now head on to your class before it gets late."

I exit the office, but then realize I forgot to ask her about the location of the gym. I feel a bit shy of going back and asking. Shortly after, I notice someone in a blue suit with the logo of the school on the breast pocket, wearing vision glasses, walking in the hallway. I assume it is a faculty member or a security person, so I approach the man and ask for the location of the gym.

"Excuse me," I say as I approach him. "Do you know where's the gym?"

"Which one?", the man asks in a firm serious voice. "There's 2 of them."

"G2?" I had no idea what "G2" meant. It was clear that it meant "Gymnasium". Silly me.

"It's located in the fourth building, right across from here. Go straight pass the fountain, and head up the stairs. Then once inside, turn right and head straight down the hallway until you find a large entrance, that's where you will find the second gym entrance. Now hurry up before I write you a report for truancy."

I get baffled when I hear he would write me a report, but then I proceed to my destination.

"Thanks," I say hesitantly.

I go across the square until I get to the fourth building. I head right and walk straight down the hallway until I find the large entrance with the G2 title on the top. I go inside the gym, a basketball style gym. At the end of each side, there are students sitting in the stands.

I remain standing at the entrance, judging both sides, and ultimately decide to go to the left side, where the students appear to be less noisy. A female coach appears taking attendance. I begin approaching and argue with myself internally as to whether to speak to the coach or sit in the stands. The coach however, turns around and sees me.

"Hey, kid," the female coach says. "Are you in this class?"

"Yes," I say unsure "According to my schedule."

"Let me see it." The coach then grabs my schedule and takes a look at it.

"You are with, Mr. Van Gaal," the coach says. "His class is located on the other gym, right across this entrance," the coach then points out the passageway located to the right.

"Let me take you there." The coach takes me across the passageway into the other gym, which appears very much like the previous one.

On the distance, I see an average size fat man in his late 40s wearing a gray sweater and a gray beanie, with a big brown mustache and sunglasses, with a deep old aggressive loud tone of voice. He is talking to his students sitting on the stands, almost yelling as if he was angry. The female coach and I approach him.

"Van Gaal!", the female coach yells. "You got a new student in your class."

Van Gaal, the male coach, then turns and asks to take a look at my schedule. He then goes and checks his attendance list.

"Let me see, Steven Smit. Yeah, he's with me. Smit, take a seat on this bottom row," Van Gaal orders me.

"Alright, thanks Ms. Fernandez," Van Gaal says. The female coach then returns back to her class.

I didn't feel welcomed in that class, and rightfully so. Little did I know that Van Gaal was a tyrant, a bully, a monster. He despised me for being a terrible trainer, and, had I known what I was getting into at the time, I would have walked off and returned home.

I felt hesitant to turn and see the other students behind me. I did not know, that among them, was Davis, the teen from the forest, the trainer of the Mimikyu that caused the turmoil that could have killed my brothers and I.

"Alright boys and girls. Some of you are new, first time here," Van Gaal says. "I have had a few of you in the past, in 7th and 8th grade. Well, as you may notice now, I am also teaching 9th graders. Well I hope that I don't have any more late students in my class for the rest of the day, because we gotta move on to the main part of this day. As you all may have known by the emails you got during the beginning of the summer, you will be tested in your skills as trainers in Pokémon battles. But throughout the semester, I will be teaching you new techniques and strategies. This will be a hybrid class. In some cases, we will be doing some activities with your selected Prodigium, and in other days we will be doing regular physical activities."

I become very bewildered and worried about the "test" that they are about to perform on every student, including on myself. Having arrived just last week, I had no experience being a Pokémon trainer.

"Now, all of you, if I am not mistaken, are already 14 years of age," Van Gaal says. "So it is now time to know if any of you are capable of filling in the spots in the ranking table of the school, or at least aspire to do so.

You will be going to the preparation room first. Half of the group will be going to one of the recreation arenas located just right across this passageway", Van Gaal points to the right a passageway that leads to the recreation arenas. "While the other half will be going to the other recreation arena for your tryouts. I will have the assistance of other colleagues to evaluate your performances. Now, go on!"

I was very nervous and confused at the same time about the whole situation. I considered talking to the teacher, but felt embarrassed to do so. I proceeded to enter the passageway, into the preparation room. Van Gaal reminds everyone once again to go to the preparation room, which is located on the first intersection of the passageway turning right. Inside the room, everyone goes and sits on the row of seats, each holding three screens in front. Someone who appears to be in charge, a woman in a blue suit, tells everyone the instructions.

"All of you will be choosing your team of preference for your exhibition battles," the woman says. "Make your selection. We will hand you over your battle disks once you have made your selections at your area."

I sit in my area, and attempt to log in to the computer. I was lost, so I raise my hand to ask for help. Some man in a blue suit approaches me and then explains that I just need my ID and birthday to log in, along with his fingerprints. Eventually, I manage to have access to the computer. I was surprised when finding out that I already had a Pokémon trainer profile.

I follow the instructions on the screen. The instructions read: Select your team. And underneath, a large but limited selection of Pokémon is shown. The list labels the limited selection as "B-C Tier List Pokémon".

"The instructions might seem a bit hard to understand, but if you follow what you are told, you will be fine," the woman in the blue suit says.

I make his selections. Only 3 Pokémon, as indicated: Hitmonlee, Medicham, and Typhlosion. Next up, the computer shows an image of a crystal that is called the Multi-Use crystal. It explains what it is, but for me it is as if I was hearing Chinese. 12 crystals are displayed next and the computer explains that the total number of crystals that are required for the battle is 12. I was perplexed, with no idea what the crystal thing was, and wondered, why Man never bothered to teach me anything about Pokémon battles.

I felt very anxious and worried for what was to come, and rightfully so. The first day of school was not going to end up being a fun experience as promised by Gerry.

I let out a big sigh and say to myself "Alright, I am ready."

Someone comes by and hands me over a battle disk, a special device used for Pokémon battles. At the time I did not know what they were. These devices, in shape of a trapezoid, about the size and weight of a standard tablet set up on the user's forearm, allow for the usage of the crystals. The battle disk holds inside the Poke balls, or capsules as formally known. The user releases the Pokémon they want to send out by pressing the small avatar of their creature displayed on the lower screen of the device. The 12 so called Multi-Use crystals are all displayed in the middle large screen of the battle disk, each aligned in rows of 3 vertically and in 4 horizontally.

The Multi-Use crystals allow for the user to have their creatures use powers or abilities that they cannot use beyond their normal capabilities. The man in the blue suit connects a wire to the battle disk to transfer all the information over.

"Alright, are you left or right handed?", the man in the blue suit asks.

"Right handed," I respond.

"Then the disk goes on your left forearm."

He sets up the battle disk on my left forearm. I felt the device to be very lighter, and felt it could easily break.

"Just one question, can you remind me how to use these?", I ask.

The man then chuckles, and shakes his head. "C'mon; time's running out."

I am escorted to my designated recreation arena where I was going to take part of the tryout. The recreation arena is considerably large, with four battle field areas situated within the running track designated for the tryouts that are to take place very soon. There were stands on the right. Many were coming in to witness the tryouts.

"Oh no," I thought.

"Alright, boy, get over here!" Van Gaal yells at me.

I go where Van Gaal and other students were standing, waiting for the final call.

"Alright, half the class should be on the other recreation arena," Van Gaal says. "There's 8 here; we just need 4 more students and then we will have our 12 wanna-be trainers to form 6 pairs of 2."

Pete had told me that he was taken there along with his class to witness the tryouts. I saw him sitting there.

I shook my head, letting him know that I was in a very compromising situation.

"You guys never told me about this," I thought.

"Alright, you four, should be the remaining ones," Van Gaal says as he sees the last four students arriving at his area.

I see the bully that caused the turmoil at the forest the other day.

"Alright. We got 12 now," Van Gaal says. "4 of you will have to wait until the first four pairs of 2 are done with their tryouts, as there are only 4 designated battle arenas inside the running track."

Van Gaal then takes out a small pot containing 12 small pieces of paper with numbers.

"And to make things even, each of you will be taking a piece of paper in this pot. Each has a number. Depending on the number you get, your opponent will be chosen accordingly so."

Van Gaal goes up to each student to have them pick a piece of paper from the pot.

"Now, I will randomly pick two balls from this other pot, whatever pair of numbers I take, that's who you are going to be facing. Let's see."

Van Gaal begins scrambling the balls. After the half the pairs have been decided, Van Gaal takes out my number.

"Now, I got…8, who's number 8?"

I raise my hand.

"Now, I will pick your opponent." Van Gaal then goes and takes out another ball.

"Number 4! Who's number 4?"

The kid with the blue beanie raises his hand. "Me!"

I became very alarmed and bit anxious knowing that my opponent had turned out to be the bully scum from the forest.

"4, and 8. 4 and 8 will be facing each other in the first arena. You two," Van Gaal points at us both. "Follow the referee."

We follow the referee wearing a dark blue formal suit. We settle in the first arena. The other 3 battles were set to take place simultaneously in the other 3 arenas inside the running track. The referee then calls me and Davis to the middle of the field.

"Alright, so you are, Davis Wage, and you are Steven Smit," the referee confirms. "Both of you are going to demonstrate everything that you have learned about Pokémon battles over the years. Taunting is allowed to an extent. I will be making sure that none of you break the rules nor cross the line as the match progresses. Now are you ready?"

Van Gaal arrives at our field.

"Ahh Wage, I have been having you for the past 2 years. I wish you the best," Van Gaal says as he pats Davis in the shoulder.

"And you, new kid!", Van Gaal yells at me. "Do your best because Wage here has been into this ever since he was three. Ref, get this over with!"

Van Gaal leaves and stands outside the white line to witness the match from up close. A bit of sweat was running down my face, but I was determined to do what I could to not end up humiliated in front of everyone.

"Alright, the test is about to begin!", the referee shouts. "Anything you want to say to each other before we start?"

Davis grins, and acknowledges that he remembers me from the forest incident. "We have met before… so you are Steven."

I scoff. "You are a piece of trash, Davis, you know that?", I say to him, angry about what he had done that day.

"We will see who is the piece of trash after this," he says.

"You won't do that again," I say as I point my finger at Davis.

"Unless I want to," Davis says confidently.

"We will see!"

The referee then cuts the argument. "Alright, enough! Now the decision to who will be making the first move will be done now!"

The referee takes out a coin and shows it to us each. Davis makes his choice first by choosing heads, leaving me with tails. The referee does the coin toss, and Davis wins.

"It has been determined that Davis will make the first move!" the referee says. "Pick your side, Steven."

I decide to remain on my side. "I will remain here."

"Go back to your designated sides, in between the rectangles," the referee orders us.

I situate in my area. I look at my battle disk, and press the on/off sign on the middle center screen. The battle disk then turns on into battle mode, showing my 3 Pokémon through their avatar designs on the lower screen, while also displaying his 12 crystals in the middle center screen. On the upper short rectangular screen, the words "Timer" are displayed.

The referee then proceeds to make the final call before starting the battle. "Now, trainer, are you ready?", the referee asks Davis as he points his finger at him.

Davis then fixes his posture and puffs out his chest. "Yes!", Davis answers confidently.

The referee then turns to me. "Trainer, are you ready?"

I look at him and give a solid "Yes" response.

"The battle between Davis and Steven is about to begin! Both trainers have 3 Pokémon to use for this match. The time limit is 8 minutes! Just as a reminder, only 5 offensive moves can be done in a row at max by a single Pokémon. Afterwards, the trainer will have to wait 10 seconds for the creature to perform another set. During that short period, the Pokémon is only allowed to perform defensive maneuvers. Now, the final countdown!"

I feel my heart pounding fast. For a moment I wanted to disappear. I feared I would end up exposing himself as an unexperienced trainer. My self-confidence was being lost.

"Now, let the battle, begin!", the referee shouts, as he tosses down his arms, signalizing the start of the match.


End file.
